Heavy-duty trucks still operating haphazardly on Linden highway – Councillor
Though numerous consultations have been hosted, on the heels of safety concerns regarding defaulting heavy-duty trucks utilising the Linden-Soesdyke Highway and internal roads in Linden, the issue continues to be one of concern for Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) officials.
At the last statutory meeting of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), Councillor Douglas Gittens highlighted several re-occurring issues he has observed, as he pleaded with the Council to take another look at the situation.
Gittens said heavy-duty trucks are still not adhering to safety rules, as he also made calls for enhanced road markings along the highway. The Councillor said he gets “emotional” every time he speaks on this issue, since he is a regular traveller on the highway.
“I’m saying to us, we have to do something about these trucks that are on the highway. They are still moving with these big logs and they are not protected enough…there are no lights on any of the sides and numerous things… Some of these trucks got a big beam on the front. When they shining that on the highway, you can’t see anything… When they stop across the road, they put a tree branch to show you that there is where the truck is…I am begging, we have to do something about these trucks,” Gittens reiterated to officials of the Council.
He added that while work is ongoing to secure funding for the upgrade of the highway, in the interim the Council should request that the Public Infrastructure Ministry apply road markings to it.
Gittens pointed out that some of the log-carrying trucks, which utilise the Mackenzie-Wismar Bridge continue to appear to be severely overweight. In this regard he urged that the bridge’s scale be fixed and put back in operation.
He also questioned how and if vehicular fitness is being issued for these vehicles, as he pointed out that some of the issues can be corrected by Police.
After Gittens raised the concerns, Councillor Denise Belgrave stood up to support him. Regional Chairman Renis Morian promised to raise the issue at the region’s security meeting. He also reminded the Council that several high-level meetings were held regarding the same issue. Last June, officials met and discussed recommendations and measures of enforcement for heavy-duty trucks in an effort to curb road fatalities and the destruction of roads within the region and along the Linden-Soesdyke Highway.
The regional administration had also made a decision to clamp down on defaulting timber and lumber trucks utilising the MacKenzie-Wismar Bridge and internal roads in the Linden community, following concerns that some were not operating under standard regulations. With Linden being a major link to interior locations, scores of these trucks pass through the community daily.
